


Waiting Game

by lost_spook



Category: Doctor Who (1963)
Genre: Community: whoniverse1000, F/M, Regeneration, Serial: s074 Planet of the Spiders
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-21
Updated: 2012-04-21
Packaged: 2017-11-04 01:59:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 928
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/388415
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lost_spook/pseuds/lost_spook
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Brigadier and Sarah wait for the Doctor to return.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Waiting Game

**Author's Note:**

> For the Brigadier/Sarah prompt on Whoniverse1000. As I said, at the time, I'm not sure I would write that pairing... but if I did, it would go like this.

She knew exactly how to get what she wanted. It was only a game and done with her usual cheeriness and the considerable charm she wielded as a tool of the trade. He understood. She was a journalist and taking no for an answer would never get her anywhere.

The Brigadier always found himself biting back a smile when she tried it with him. She’d come in, after the Doctor, information or access to something she shouldn’t really have – something, anything – and she’d tease him, smile at him and he’d fail to be stern and end up giving her what she wanted. Provided it was in his power, of course.

It was all a game of sorts. He knew by now that he could trust her not to give away secrets and she was useful to UNIT. He liked her, she liked him and she clearly saw him as a safe person on which to try out her wiles. Quite. If only it didn’t make him feel so damned old sometimes. Favourite uncle or whatever it was she saw him as was a role he was only slowly getting used to.

They both had this much in common: they were good at what they did.

*

Waiting was the hardest thing. He was only where he was supposed to be – no harm in checking the Doctor’s lab every now and then – but Sarah Jane came each day to look for the Doctor.

There were few smiles now, no trying to twist him around her little finger in order to get her next article. The only thing she wanted was something he couldn’t give her. The only thing he had to offer her was platitudes.

“I’m sure he’ll turn up,” he said one day. And the next, “He can look after himself, you know.”

It was something else they both had in common: faith in the Doctor. They both believed he would return in the end.

The Brigadier shut the lab door behind him.

*

Of course, when he did turn up, it was with even more than the usual chaos and complications. Dramatic collapses, floating Time Lords and changing faces. The Brigadier was beginning to feel used to it.

Sarah Jane wasn’t.

He had some of the men carry the unconscious Doctor out of the lab and off to sickbay, ordering them to be careful with him. He’d been about to leave, when he saw her still leaning against the lab table and staring dully into space.

“Miss Smith?”

She blinked and tried to smile. “Well, he’s back.”

“He’ll be fine,” he assured her. “You know the Doctor.”

She had her face set as she replied and he recognised the note of hysteria that crept into her voice. “Do I? He’s changed. He’s not the man I knew.”

He couldn’t argue with that, although on previous occasions he’d decided it was best not to question it too much. Despite the wide differences, he tended to think of him as the same man. It was an approach that seemed to work.

She put her hand to her face and wiped away tears with another quick, too-bright, smile. Then she sniffed. He passed her a spare handkerchief.

Sarah closed her eyes and while he waited awkwardly, she could not keep from crying. He wondered if she’d forgotten he was there, since he knew her well enough to know this wasn’t something she did in public. 

Cautiously, he put an arm around her and she clung to him, unthinking. Now that the Doctor was dead and alive again, she cried out the reaction into his shoulder.

Eventually, she dried her eyes and sniffed, biting her lip in embarrassment. “I’m sorry.”

“No need,” he said.

She swallowed. “I mean, he’s back. He’s all right and I should be -I don't know.”

“It’s perfectly understandable,” he told her, breaking into her annoyance with herself. “Just shock and the strain of waiting. Probably inevitable, really.”

Sarah lifted her head to look at him, suddenly conscious of the position she was in. He could have kissed her; it would have been easy in a way that had been unimaginable only minutes before. It would also be a betrayal of trust. It was down to him to restore their relationship to its usual form.

“I trust you won’t be writing this one up for the papers?”

She gave a watery smile as she distanced herself from him. “Oh, yes. People turning into completely different people, all down to an invasion of giant spiders – I’d be a laughing stock. You needn’t worry about that, Brigadier.”

“Good,” he said. “And I’m sure the Doctor will be all right, Miss Smith. You know how he is.”

She nodded. “I can come back and see him?”

“Of course. He’ll want to see you.”

She straightened herself and blew her nose one last time. “Thank you, Brigadier. I should go, I suppose.”

“Quite,” he agreed. “No reason to be hanging round here. I need to send off some reports myself.”

He headed for the door and then turned. “I’m sorry. I’m running off with your hanky. You’ll have to arrest me.”

“Keep it,” he said.

She smiled properly again. “Isn’t it government property? You know that sounds like a scandal to me – corruption and bribery -.”

“I think my budget can stand it this once,” he returned straight-faced and knew he’d succeeded. He watched her leave and then walked back to his office. He was glad of it and he was glad to have the Doctor back.

Sometimes it still made him feel old.


End file.
